Harness-support.



- Patented May 2|, 19m. E. F. MGCAFF'ERTY HARNESS SUPPORT.

(Application filed Aug. 28, 1900.)

3 z 4 Y T w f NE a j a M a 3 4 e i=2 a a flzflelzlar UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDW'ARD F. MCCAFFERTY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO M. G. LESLIE, OF SAME PLACE.

HARNESS-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,707, dated May 21, 1901.

Application filed August 28,1900. Serial No. 28,297. N m del.)

To alt whom it may concern: always in readiness for sustaining the har- Be it known that I, EDWARD F. MOCAF- ness in position for quick readjustment. FERTY, a citizen of the United States, resid- The invention consists in the novel feaing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny tures of construction and combination and and State of Pennsylvania, have invented arrangement of parts hereinafter fully denew and useful Improvements in Harnessscribed and claimed, and illustrated by the Supports, of which the following is a specifiaccompanying drawings, wherein cation. Figure 1 is a side view of my improved de- This invention relates to an improved harvice in operative position on the vehicle-pole. 1o ness-support for fire-department apparatus, Fig. 2 is a plan View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a police-patrol wagons, ambulances, and other side View, similar to Fig. 1, with the device emergency vehicles, and has for its primary folded down upon the pole. Fig. 4 is a plan object to provide an efiective device of this View of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the character adapted to be mounted on and carinner or hinged ends of the supporting-arms 1'5 ried by the vehicle and ready for use wherwith the top plate of the casing removed to ever the latter may be. illustrate the spring-hinge. Fig. 6 is a cross- Harness hangers now generally used are sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 5. suspended from the ceiling of the engine- Referring to the drawings, 2represents the house or other quarters of emergency appa- Vehicle-pole, and 3 represents hinge-bolts se- 2o rains and are of course only available at cured to the pole and projecting from the such places for supporting the harness in top surface thereof, and hinged at their readiness for quick adjustment when answerlower ends to these bolts are the backwardlying a call. These hanging devices are more swinging uprights or standards 4. Stops 5 or less complicated, many of them inoludon the standards and bolts prevent the former 7 5 25 ing complicated arrangements of sustaining from swinging forward past a vertical posiand pull ropes, pulley-supports and countertion. The upper ends of the standards are weights, and not only require accurate arhinged to opposite ends of the horizontal bar rangement with relation to the normal posi- 6, as shown at 7, stops 8 on the bar and tion of the vehicle, but also great care must standard cooperating with stops 5 in holding 8o 30 be exercised to accurately position the latter the frame thus formed from swinging forthereunder. A portable harness support, ward past the vertical position. such as herein proposed, not only does away At each end of bar 6 is a head or enlargewith this complicated and unsightlytype of ment 9, carrying two vertically-projecting hanger, but also, having permanent position posts 10, arranged on oppositev sides of the 5 on the vehicle, isialways in readiness for use. center line of bar 6, and removably secured to At fires it is frequently desirable to unharthe upper ends of these posts by screws 11 is ness the horses in addition to unhitching cap-plate 12. them from the apparatus, and with my im- 13 represents the laterally-swinging harproved device this may be quickly and conness-supporting arms, there being four of 4o veniently accomplished, leaving the harness these arms, two on each side of bar 6, and the in position for quick readjustment when necinner curved end 14: of each arm is apertured essary. Heretofore when harness has been vertically at 15, with post 10 extending thereremoved from the horses under these circurnthrough, the aperture being considerably stances it has been thrown upon the street in a larger than the diameter of the post. On the 5 45 disarranged mass. This is not only injurious upper and lower sides of the arm and encirto the harness, asit is liable to become wet cling aperture 15 are the annular lips 16, and trampled under foot, but also considerwhich snugly fit corresponding depressions in able time is required for its rearrangement head 9 and cap-plate 12, thus forming a stout upon the horses. With my improvement hinge for the arm when the parts are assem- I00 50 these difficulties and inconveniences are bled.

avoided, for, as before stated, the support is Coiled around post 10 within arm-aperture 15 is spring 17, having its upper extremity turned laterally and confined in notch 18 of the arm and its lower extremity 18 secured in a notch or depression in head 9, all as clearly illustrated in Fig. 6. These springs resist outward turning of arms 18 and serve to hold the same normally in inwardly turned or folded posit-ion over bar 6, as in Figs. 3 and 4-. The outer extremities of the rearward arms 13 may be bent or elevated above the plane of the main portions thereof, as shown in the drawings, for the purpose of affording increased elevation for therear portions of the harness suspended thereon. The weight of the harness holds the arms extended, preventing them from responding to the pressure of the spring-hinges until after the harness is removed.

When in operative position, the support is elevated with arms 13 outstretched, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and at their outer ends supporting the harness on opposite sides of pole 2, ready for quick adjustment on the horses. Rings 19 or other suitable devices may be provided at the arms ends for removably attaching the harness. The frame is held in upright position by latches 20, hinged at their upper ends to bar 6, near the forward end of the latter, and at their lower ends notched to removably engage the pins 21 on forward standard 4.. If desired, these latches may be arranged at the rear end of the frame Within reach of the driver, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. With the harness supported, as described, by the outstretched arms 13 it may be quickly removed therefrom and adjusted on the horses. When the harness is removed, the arms are turned to inward or folded position by springs 17 and out of the way. Latches 20 are then released, permitting the frame to fold backward and downward on pole 2, where it remains, entirely out of the way, but ready for use whenever required. An upwardlybowed spring-plate 22 is secured to the pole and serves as a buffer which the folded frame strikes as it drops to the pole. The elongated sides of this plate are upwardly turned at 23 and form stops for preventing accidental outward turning of the rear arms 13,while a similarly-formed clip 24 is secured to the pole for thus confining the forward arms.

I do not confine myself to the means here shown for securing the device to the vehiclepole, as this may be accomplished in a variety of ways. Many other details of construction may in like manner be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The entire hanger mechanism is comparatively light and may be applied to the pole of any vehicle without in any manner interfering therewith, being entirely out of the way.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Harness-sustaining means for fire and other emergency-apparatus,comprisinga support adapted to be carried by the apparatus, and harnesssustaining arms projecting from the support, the arms at their outer ends being adapted to hold the harness suspended and in position to be quickly placed upon the horses, substantially as shown and described.

2. I-Iarness-sustaining means for fire and other emergency apparatus, comprising a support adapted to be carried by the apparatus, and harness sustaining arms mounted to turn horizontally on the support, the arms when in unfolded or extended adjustment being adapted to hold the harness suspended and in positionto be quickly placed upon the horses, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with a vehicle-pole, of a folding support adapted when in raised position to sustain the harness and when not in use adapted to fold compactly on the pole, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with a vehicle and a vertical support, of hinged arms on the support adapted to be turned outward for sustaining harness, the arms when not in use adapted to fold inward on the support, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination with a vehicle-pole, of a vertically-folding support carried thereby and adapted to fold downward thereon, arms on the support adapted to turn laterally for sustaining harness, the arms when not in use adapted to fold inward on the vertical support, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a harness-hanger, the combination with a support, of laterally-turning harnesssustaining arms on the support, and springs for holding the arms normally turned inward on the support, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a harness-hanger the combination of a support, a removable cap-plate, means for spacing the plate from the support, and the laterally-turning arms between and rotatably secured to the support and plate, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a harness-hanger, the combination of a support, a removable cap-plate, means for spacing the plate from the support, the laterally-turning arms apertured at their inner ends and rotatablysecured to the support and plate, and a coiled spring within the arm-ap erture, one extremity of the spring being secured to the arm and the other extremity to the support, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a harness-hanger, the combination of a support, a removable cap-plate, posts proj ecti ng from the support and to which the capplate is secured, the laterally-turning arms apertured to fit around the posts and rotatably mounted between the head and plate, and coiled springs on the posts having one end secured to the arms and their opposite ends se cured to the support, substantially as shown and described.

10. In a harness-support, the combination of a vehicle-pole, vertically-swinging standing laterally turning harness sustaining arms held normally in inwardly turned or folded position, and stops on the pole for preventing said arms from moving laterally when folded, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- DGSSQS.

EDWARD F. MCCAFFERTY. Witnesses:

J. W. NESBIT, ALEX. S. MABON. 

